This is a slow-burn story with elemental magic and remarkable world-building. While following two rangers, Lovelace and Gunnar, who are the orders' last on a dangerous mission, at the same time, we follow Kylene, the daughter of a printing press on the journey to find her missing father which leads her to a mysterious group of outcasts with whom she takes up refuge.

With the magic of words, Voss has laid out beautiful visuals in great detail that allow for oneself to fully immerse into the world and the surroundings.

Although the writing style took time to get used to, the story is fascinating and leads to the turning of pages.

Thank you to NetGalley, Collective Ink Books, Roundfire Books and Maressa Voss for providing me with the eARC and the opportunity to read and provide an honest review!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Fantastic! When Shadows Grow Tall is an impressive fantasy debut by Maressa Voss, weaving together intricate worldbuilding, dual POVs, and a unique magic system (not my usual genre of choice). Set in the Grasp, a realm teetering between enlightenment and oppression, the novel follows two rangers, Lovelace and Gunnar, and a young woman, Kylene, as they each embark on quests that will decide the fate of their world. Voss excels in creating a vividly detailed setting, with her writing style painting each scene in immersive, cinematic detail. The elemental magic system is subtle yet believable, and the characters, particularly Kylene, are so witty and strongly development. While the middle of the book slows in pacing, the narrative picks up as the POVs converge. Overall, When Shadows Grow Tall is a strong, well-crafted debut that certainly establishes Voss as a promising voice in the fantasy genre!

A great slow-burn, elemental fantasy!
I enjoyed this from the start, and as a debut, it’s a ringer.

This is a wonderful and enchanting debut. The pace is fast and while a little curious at first as there is little explanation or context given to the world, magic system or magical relations, the pace keeps you motivated. I loved the fact that context came in the middle of the book.

I found several typos but otherwise really valued this book’s originality and characters.

I must preempt this review by noting the two different aspects of this book that stuck out: the plot execution and the technical writing style. I rate the plot execution about a 3, and the writing style a 5, so this review will average those two scores out.

Starting with the plot execution: the way this book started, I was convinced that it would be a 5 star review. The two different POVs, the elemental magic system, and the lore folded into the worldbuilding, are all pieces of the novel that I loved so much. I am also always a sucker for the type of dual POV that don’t seem to coincide/overlap until suddenly they do. This book was like that, because each alternating chapter felt so different, and then they suddenly dovetailed together, and it was fun to see how it all came together. Where I had issues was in the way that the middle portion seemed to drag a bit, and elements of the plot started to feel very similar to other fantasy novels, without much of a spin. I kept waiting for something new, for the plot to go a different way, but the slow pacing made it difficult for a lot to happen, and it ended up feeling like I was waiting for something to happen that never did.

The writing style, on the other hand, is an easy 5 stars, one of the most beautifully written and described worlds I have read in recent memory. I was floored from the first page, and it was something I enjoyed all the way to the very end. On the whole, this book averages out to 4⭐, and I look forward to reading the sequel!

*Thank you again to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

Weirdly, I remember reading this book ages ago but didn't seem to write a review for it.

This was a really interesting read, although I did find the time line confusing.

I liked the characters. I thought that they were well written. I especially liked Kylene who finds out her father is involved in the rebellion movement against the tyrannical regime and ends up running away, seeking him.

Then you have the rather jaded rangers with magic who are part of an organisation that hoards their knowledge. The villain of the story is a member of this group who has broken away and is teaching people the magic.

The worldbuilding is also quite interesting. The magic system is nature based and one of the ideas is that you can learn the truth of things by tapping into nature to get a true account of things.

There is a lot of action in the book, and it is quite dark, but at times, the pace did drag a bit with a bit of info dumping and overly prosaic language.

I would definitely read the next, however.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6739916260

For some reason I couldn't quite get on with this one. It's a fairly standard fantasy novel with some nice ideas, but something about the pacing was a little off and there were lots of sections where my attention started to drift. I also couldn't fully get behind any of the main characters - they all felt a bit like caricatures will not much nuance to them, particularly the pantomime-esque baddies. I would have liked to see a bit more exploration of the motives of both the heroes and villains, as maybe then some of these people would have felt more real and I might have cared more about them. And I also didn't feel any real sense of jeopardy at any point, even when the heroes were seemingly at risk - this is always an issue in books where magic can provide a get out even in the most dire of situations, but I felt it particularly strongly with this one. So overall, while I recognise the author's talents, this just wasn't for me. Many thanks to her, the published and NetGalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately I DNF'ed this book I really wanted to love this book but I stopped reading about half way through. I struggled to follow the story. Still giving this book two stars because I did enjoy the world descriptions and characters.

For me it was more like a 3.5/5 stars

I want to start by saying that this book is quite good, but the writing style is not not favorite and that made it a bit harder to read. This style reminds me of the Witcher books, which I also had a hard time finishing because of the style, even though I really liked the story.

That being said, there are two parallel stories, and I clearly enjoyed one of them more than the other one. I expected them to merge at some point and I was really curious to see if they take place at the same time or not. While the book felt quite slow paced, I feel like the ending was a bit too fast and I would have liked it to be extended a bit. The stories are not bad, quite interesting actually and I think I got to care about all of the characters in the 2nd half.

I think the author did a great job and her books will be a great addition to the genre.

This was a book I wanted to love, however the two parallel storylines didn’t work for me. I felt much more attached to other storyline versus the other and thus was more bored with the other. Sometimes if that happens it does get better over time but I never felt truly connected to the character either which didn’t help. The ending also I didn’t love, I wasn’t sure of the symbolism of the *spoiler* name change at the end and the defeating the “big bad” felt almost too easy.

This book sounds like a thrilling and intricate fantasy with a richly developed world, complex characters, and high-stakes conflicts. The blend of ancient brotherhoods, elemental magic, and a fight for enlightenment against tyranny creates a compelling narrative. The inclusion of characters like Lovelace, Gunnar, Kylene, and Cora, each with their own struggles and quests, adds depth to the story, making it both a personal and epic journey.

If you're a fan of stories that combine magic, political intrigue, and the struggle for truth and freedom, this book seems like it would be a captivating read. The premise of truth as a weapon and the intertwining destinies of the characters make it sound like a page-turner. It definitely has the potential to be an engaging and thought-provoking story.

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Maressa Voss writes a promising adventure with dynamic and intriguing characters. There are two parallel storylines, one following a duo of men who belong to a brotherhood who all perform druid magic whilst the other follows a girl who recently discovered that her father was a member of the rebellion against an increasingly oppressive capitalist ruler. I preferred the plot that followed the two men, Lovelace and Gunnar, they had more of the things i enjoy - political intrigue, more substantial goals like finding this mysterious powerful magic user, conflict with authority, and an awesome ecology-based magic system. They also had great chemistry with one another making it an entertaining read. Kylene’s story, on the otherhand, was more meandering and focused on her bildungsroman journey. I found that many of the major plot points related to Kylene such as her family being persecuted and her meeting this magical commune, were introduced and dropped very quickly without being mentioned again. Kylene herself is a wonderful character to follow, she is strong and tenacious and while her naivety is quickly confronted I enjoyed the realistic reflections she has regarding her own strengths, weaknesses and trauma. The two storylines seem to run on different timelines from one another which I respect as a creative choice but unfortunately made them seem disjointed for most of the story as it felt like reading two separate books for most of the time. Overall, a strong debut and I look forward to what Voss has in store for her readers.

this was a dense debut fantasy with an interesting magic system and slowwwww burn. i think the biggest strength in this is the world building, so lush and just as dense as the plot. the author does an incredible job of building this world in its mundanities as well as the supernatural forces that rule it. the perfect blend between a cozy and epic fantasy.

Two members of a magical order attempt to find children who exhibit elemental magic before they can be found by a dangerous former-colleague. Meanwhile, a young girl searches for her missing father after she discovers he was part of the resistance against a despot ruler. I was not invested in the characters, and I don’t love where the plot is headed. However, I think people who enjoyed Godkiller may like this book.

*Thank you to the author and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.*

First off the world was very cool and it has all the things I like in a fantasy novel: an adventure, interesting magic, beautiful and otherworldly world descriptions.

However, there were a lot of problems with this book and I think a lot of them could be solved with some editing. The writing itself was good but the plot wasn’t exactly cohesive and I didn’t love the characters. It follows Kylene, a 16 year old girl who is a self taught herbalist, and Lovelace, an adult man wizard. Who’s paths eventually cross as they both run from a rogue evil wizard and his peacekeepers.

I thought these were a bizarre choice of characters to follow as they are two demographics of readers and so I related to one and was utterly bored by the other. I found the fantasy names to be a bit cliche and also a bit of a pain. There were so many world building dumps that I just plowed through without really remembering who’s who and what silly fantasy words they’re talking about.

I think the main problem was the structure of the plot. The inciting incident sorta doesn’t happen until 100 pages in. The book itself is quite short for all of the world building it does. It’s only 200+ pages with all for the action happening in the later 100.

I thought the opening chapter about a random boy was very catchy and interesting but then bouncing between too seemingly unrelated characters plots didn’t really make sense.

The book ending ends up making the whole story feel like a setup for the actual plot (which would be book 2). It all felt like backstory.

I think the setup for the story is interesting but then it’s unclear what all the characters goals are until 100 pages in. I don’t know what Kylene is attempting to do really besides find her dad but she doesn’t seem to have a real plan or goal. Lovelace and Co’s goals are also unclear. We’re getting lots of wizard lore and then for some reason they stop in 1 town to recruit help but only 1 town and then give up and continue on their journey????? As a result there’s 0 character growth.

The two kids that Lovelace ends up picking up felt more like pets and plot devices than people.

Overall I thought it was a very mid fantasy book which was disappointing since the world building was cool and the synopsis sounded really promising.

I also think the cover is extremely boring.

SPOILERS FOLLOWING:

I don’t understand why Kylene goes by a different name at the end it was utterly ridiculous.

Also I don’t believe Lovelace and Gunner would have defeated Alev, he was far too powerful and the fact that they all died but then somehow they came back to life was ridiculous.

The Kylene pools bit at the end with the trippy death/transcendent montage was ridiculous.

slow-paced

Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

And honestly, this book was a
Real slog for me. I didn’t really connect with the characters, the world, or the plot. I still have a lot of questions about the world, the magic system, and the book in general. There was a lot of telling and not enough showing. Basically a lot of “new writer” problems.

I really didn’t feel like there was a satisfying conclusion to this first book in what I assume is a planned series of unknown length. It read, to me, like the first part of a quest story (the gathering of the fellowship, If you will) and ended just about when the quest was beginning.

I don’t see myself continuing with this series.

3.5 stars. Great debut, but took me a while to get into. I'm so glad I didn't give up, because I loved the second half. This is a fairly traditional fantasy, but it is well-done and makes me want more.

My rating: 3.5⭐️
This debut fantasy novel kicks off with two super interesting storylines that merge in the most epic way. It took me a few chapters to get the hang of the magic system, but once I did, I was hooked. If you're into gritty, grimy worlds with intense magic battles, this one's for you.
The characters are so well-written and relatable, you'll be rooting for them in no time. I seriously can't wait for the next book in the series and hope it’s just as amazing. If you’re a fantasy fan, do yourself a favor and grab this book!
A big thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to dive into this book for an honest review.

Marissa Voss is an incredible writer who manages to build an intricate world around compelling characters. This book has all of the trappings of a wonderful fantasy novel and if this is Maressa Voss' first book, then I am in awe of her writing. This is well-written, decently paced and her development of the characters is brilliant. I enjoyed the whole concept of the narrative and the magic that Voss intertwines throughout the story. I would say this is a must read for any reader who enjoys a good fantasy romance.